Ratchet-wrench.



r rap em LAROYI-S. STARRETT AND JOHN A. ADELL, or. ATHOL, MASSACHUSETTS, assron'ons To L. s. smnan'rr COMPANY,'0F ATHOL, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPOBATIQN or MAS- sAcHusu rTs.

RATGHET-WBENCH.

I Specification of Letters Patent- Patented J 311'. 19 16.

Original application filed April 25, 1910, Serial No. 557,384 Divided and this application filed November 7, 1911. Serial No. 658,979.

To all whomit may concern: Be it known that we, LAROY SJ STARRETT and Jon A. ADnLL, both citizens .of the United States, residing both at Athol, county of W orcester, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and, useful Improvements in Ratchet-iVrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wrenches ansfl particularly to an extensible wrench'-for u in places otherwise inaccessible. The par-H ticular wrench shown in the present case is a ratchet wrench especiallyadapted for automobile use.

The present application is a division of our prior application, 2 Serial Number 557,384, filed April 25, 1910. In thatcase v the subject matter Was directed particularly to the ratchet features of the wrench, while in our presentinvention we shall particularly direct our attention to matters of extensibility. 4

It is the object of our invention'to provide a wrench capable of various combinations' and adjustments, making possible the use of powerful leverage on nuts, screws and plugs in otherwise inaccessible places.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts and in the drawings we have shown a type of wrench which we have found .well adapted for practical purposes and well suited to the requirements of commercial manufacture.

In the drawings i-Figure illustrating the principles of our invention, Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the wrench head through the stem, Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of, the wrench head with the :is formed'with a transverse bore on the bot-' tom of which a shoulder 3 is left, while at the top is formed a channel or seat 4.

'VVithin the neck 2 is a radial bore 5 within which is located a reversible pawl 6 adapted to fasten to a stem 7. A tubular handle 8.is threaded into'the end of the radial'neck 2 a d, within this handle a stem 7 is held havposed notches 9 lis a sectional View of a wrench stem and connect1ons,/

' ing its outer 'end milled, as indicated at 7 and pro ecting slightly beyondthe end of a ring 9 is set having two oppositely dis- The pawl 6 is pinned to the stem 7 by a pin 10 which projects'slightly beyond'the. pawl so as to form an engagingpo'int with the notches 9 of the ring 9. This permits of the adjustment of the stem 7 in two opposite positions for direct and reverse mo- ,tions. The stem 7 is held inward by a coiled spring 11 which abuts at one end against the end of the tubular'handle 8.; At the otherend it abuts against the rear side'of'the pawl 6.

Within the transverse; bore of thefheadl is a ratchet piece 12 having externalteeth 13 ported by the. bearing. head between; the

shoulder 3 and the ringer washer is swaged in the groove 4. p

A vertical I squared opening 14 passes through-the ratchet piece 12 and on one side which of the opening is a vertical groove 14 On the upper and lower faces of the piece 12 adjacent. to the groove are bored small recesses 15 which are preferably slightly slanted or tipped away from the opening 14,

as will be seen by reference to Fig. 3..

bearing 14. thus affording a firm grip upon anvthing thrust within the socket. YVhile the combination with the cutchct handle may befof a variety of constructions, we Provide an extension member which consists of a stem 16 squared to lit the socket 14 of the ratchet. Upon this'stem '16 is a pair of jaws 17 having rounded ends. A

stem .19 is proi'ide'd having similar jaws 1S and. the t o sets of jaws l7 and'lS stradd e 75 and a central internal squared socket .14 passing directly through it from side to side. This ratchet piece 12 is rotatably ,sup-

. of the wall 23 it will frictionallygrip anya cubical block to which they are pi\-'ot ed on bearings 21 and 22, each set belng 131voted. This'construction forms a ver stron 's and flexible universal joint between the stem 16 and the shank 19. I

On the squared end of the shank 19 is driven a squared sleeve 23 having a slot 24 cut through one wall within which a bowed spring 25 is held by a cover piece 26 swaged into a groove surrounding-the slot 24. As the spring projects through the inner-face thing thrust within the socket.

The stem 16 may be of anylength desired or corresponding stems may be provided of varied lengths. The stem 27 of the wrench member 28 is made of the same size as the stem 16 so that it may be inserted directly into-the socket 14 or into the holder 23. On

account of the adjustability of the socket 1 1 with relation to the shank 16 or any similar shank, it will be seen that the ratchet can be adapted to great variety of positions.

In use, tlib pawl 6 is set in either right or left hand position, according to whether the nut is to be screwed or unscrewed. This is accomplished by pulling on the end 7 of the stem 7 and giying the stema rotation of 180 degrees; the pawl will then assume the opposite phase and present its beveled end so that it will ride in the opposite direction. In each of its true positions it will be locked by the engagement of the pin 10 in the notches 9 of the ring 9. a

The tool to" be used is selected according to the nature of the work. If an outside nut .isto be turned on or 06 the stem 27 of the wrench 28 might be'inserted direct into the socket 14 of the ratchet piece 12. In doing this, the spring 36 would be compressed within the groove 14:, and to some extent the ears 36 would be slightly raised. They will not, however, be wholly disengaged from the recesses 15. We find in actual practice that it is very easy to place the sprin 36 in its position in the groove 14 with its ears in the recesses 36 but it ispractically impossible without the assistance of tools to again. remove it from this engagement. 1 i

ltf the work to be accomplished has to 'be reached through intervening parts, it is desirable to introduce a stem piece. This may be a plaln stem piece or a joined piece. We have shown in Fig. 1 a stem piece including merges between its ends a universal joint. In this case, therefore, the stem27 ofthe wrench 28 would be inserted within the socket 23, within which it would beheld by the frictional engagement of the spring 25 exposed to the bottom of the slot24. The ratchet piece 12 would be adjusted on the'stem 16 at any position desired. On account of the frictional engagement of the spring 36 the stem 16 may similarly be pushed through the socket 14 and will be held at any point by the frictional engagement of the spring.

Various modifications may'be made in the construction and operation of our ratchet,

the nature and variety of the tools, and in themanner of assemblage and use of the same, all without departing from the spirit of our invention, if within the limits of the appended claims. I

What we, therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1, A ratchet wrench comprising in combi having a wrench socket at its opposite end,

and an interchangeable wrench member hav ing a stem of a size 'to fit either of said sockets.

3. A ratchet wrench comprising in combination a'liandle having a transverse socket opening in the ratchet piece thereof, an extension stem having a shank of the same size as said socket and having a wrench socket at itsopposite end, a universal oint between said shank and wrench socket, and an in terchangeable wrench member having a stem. I

' 100 Intestimony whereof we aflix our signaof a size to fit either of said sockets.

tures in presence of two witnesses.

LARQY s1 STARRETT. JOHN a. ADELL.

' Witnesses:

FRANK E, WING, MARSHALL B. WATERMAN. 

